For the chocolate ganache:
- 200 g (7 oz) dark or milk chocolate, chopped
- 50 g (3½ tbsp) butter
- 200 ml (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) heavy cream (double or whipping cream)
- 1 pinch salt
For the chocolate shell:
- 100 g (3½ oz) milk or dark chocolate, chopped
- 1 tsp neutral oil, such as sunflower oil (optional, for a smoother, thinner coating)
Instructions
Step 1: Make the cookie crumbs
Crush the cookies into fine crumbs in a food processor, or put them in a freezer bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Mix the crumbs with the melted butter and the cocoa powder (if using) until they look like wet sand.
Step 2: Shape the bases
Line a mini muffin tin with 20 paper mini cups. Add about 1 tablespoon of the crumb mixture to each cup and press it down firmly with the back of a teaspoon or the bottom of a small glass. Chill for 30 minutes until firm.
Step 3: Melt the chocolate and butter
Put the chopped chocolate and the butter in a heatproof bowl. Melt gently over a pan of barely simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water), or in the microwave in 20–30 second bursts, stirring each time, until smooth.
Step 4: Add the warm cream
Warm the cream in a small pan until it’s hot and steaming but not boiling. Pour it into the melted chocolate a little at a time, stirring gently from the centre outwards until you have a smooth, glossy ganache. Stir in the pinch of salt.
Step 5: Chill the ganache
Cover the ganache and chill it for about 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes, until it’s thick enough to pipe — like soft peanut butter. If it gets too firm, leave it at room temperature for 10 minutes and stir.
Step 6: Pipe the ganache
Spoon the ganache into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe a tall swirl onto each cookie base. Chill for 30 minutes until the ganache is firm.
Step 7: Coat with chocolate
Melt the chocolate for the shell (with the oil, if using) and let it cool for a few minutes so it’s still runny but not hot. Spoon a thin layer over each ganache swirl, or hold each bite by the paper cup and dip the top into the chocolate. Chill for 20 minutes until set, then serve.
Nutritional Information
Per bite (approximate, based on 20 bites, made with dark chocolate):
- Calories: 210
- Protein: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Sugar: 10 g
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated fat: 9 g
Values are estimates and depend on the cookies and chocolate you use.
Tips for Perfect No-Bake Chocolate Ganache Bites
- Press the bases firmly. Loose crumbs fall apart when you bite. Pack them tightly.
- Melt chocolate gently. Too much heat makes chocolate grainy or burnt. Short bursts in the microwave and lots of stirring work best.
- Don’t boil the cream. Hot, steaming cream is enough. Boiling cream can split the ganache.
- Ganache too runny to pipe? Chill it a little longer. Too stiff? Let it warm up and stir.
- Let the coating chocolate cool slightly. Hot chocolate can melt the ganache swirl.
- Use good chocolate. The ganache is the star, so use chocolate you’d enjoy eating on its own.
- No piping bag? Spoon the ganache on top and smooth it into a dome with the back of a spoon.
Variations
- Dark, milk or mixed: use dark chocolate in the ganache and milk chocolate for the shell, or the other way round.
- Salted caramel: add a small spoon of thick caramel on the cookie base before piping.
- Hazelnut: stir 2 tbsp chocolate hazelnut spread into the ganache and top with a chopped hazelnut.
- Peanut butter: add 2 tbsp smooth peanut butter to the ganache.
- Mint chocolate: add a few drops of peppermint flavouring to the ganache.
- Coffee: dissolve 1 tsp instant coffee in the warm cream.
- Festive: decorate with sprinkles, crushed candy canes or edible gold before the shell sets.
- One big tart: press the base into a 20 cm (8-inch) tart tin, pour over the ganache, chill, then top with the melted chocolate.
How to Store
- Fridge: keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Take them out 10 minutes before serving for the softest ganache.
- Freezer: freeze in a single layer, then move to a container, for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- At a party: because the ganache is made with cream, don’t leave them out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when it’s above 90°F (32°C), as advised by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. In hot weather, keep them on a chilled plate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What cookies are best for the base?
Chocolate cookies, chocolate digestives or Oreos (with the filling removed) give a chocolatey base. Plain butter biscuits or graham crackers work too — add the cocoa powder for colour and flavour.
Can I make these without a mini muffin tin?
Yes. Place the paper mini cups close together on a tray, or press the base into a lined square tin and cut into squares after chilling.
Why did my ganache split or turn oily?
Usually the cream was too hot or the chocolate overheated. Whisk in 1–2 tablespoons of cold cream and stir gently until it comes back together.
Can I use milk chocolate for the ganache?
Yes, but milk chocolate ganache is softer. Use 150 ml cream instead of 200 ml so it firms up enough to pipe.
How long do no-bake chocolate ganache bites keep?
Up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge, or up to 2 months in the freezer.
Why did my chocolate coating crack?
The ganache was very cold and the coating shrank as it set. Let the bites sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before coating, and add a teaspoon of oil to the chocolate.
Can I make them dairy-free?
Yes. Use dairy-free cookies, plant butter, dairy-free chocolate and full-fat coconut cream instead of heavy cream.
Are these good for Christmas cookie boxes?
Yes. Keep them chilled until packing, and place them in mini cups so they don’t stick together.
More Easy Desserts to Try
- Creamy blender cake — blend, pour and bake for a silky coconut custard cake.
- Browse all our dessert recipes.
Final Thoughts
These no-bake chocolate ganache bites are chocolate on chocolate on chocolate — crunchy, creamy and snappy all in one bite. No oven, simple ingredients, and a result that looks like it came from a bakery window.
Make a batch for your next party or holiday box, and don’t be surprised when they disappear first.
